Author: Thomas White Grade Level: 10 Course: Accelerated/Honors Biology
Purpose of Unit
This unit will have several purposes. The first purpose of this unit is to attempt to dispel myths and misunderstandings surrounding human evolution before the content itself is covered. Students will then be introduced to the history of human evolution. They will explore elements of the fossil record to find crucial changes that occurred between the split from the line of species that led to chimpanzees, gorillas, and modern humans. They will understand the dual nature of mutations and changes in the genome; some changes might leave the organism better adapted to its environment while others may offer a selective disadvantage. Students will explore the known history of how humans evolved, and then will use their knowledge in a culminating project to predict how humans will evolve in future years.
Addressed science practices:
1. Asking Questions
2. Using Models
3. Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
6. Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
7. Engaging in Argument from Evidence
8. Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Outline, Concept Map, or other Graphical Representation of the Concepts Addressed in the Unit
Students will be assessed formatively with science journal entries. During learning activities, the instructor will be asking questions of the students to check for understanding wherever possible. Some class activities will have paper components that will be collected and used as formative assessment as well. Summative assessment will be comprised of a creative project entitled "The X-MEN PROJECT", where students will have to use their knowledge to make a prediction about how humans might evolve and change in the future. There will also be a short unit test used for summative assessment.
This topic was made meaningful to students in several ways. It addresses the ways they are thinking about the topic before they are given the actual content, and they are made to recognize their own misconceptions. As the topic is human evolution, it relates directly to how students arrived the way they have in this moment in time. Students will recognize the human body as being a page in the history book that explains primate adaptations. Students will explore the evidence that explains how human evolution is thought by scientists to have occurred in order to draw conclusions about human history. After making conclusions about how we arrived here, students will address the questions concerning where humans are going by looking at issues in the present (malaria and sickle-cell anemia), and predicting what we may look like many years from now. Students will then take a short unit test on human evolution to show mastery of the content.
Now, You Are Here - Human Evolution
Author: Thomas White
Grade Level: 10
Course: Accelerated/Honors Biology
Purpose of Unit
This unit will have several purposes. The first purpose of this unit is to attempt to dispel myths and misunderstandings surrounding human evolution before the content itself is covered. Students will then be introduced to the history of human evolution. They will explore elements of the fossil record to find crucial changes that occurred between the split from the line of species that led to chimpanzees, gorillas, and modern humans. They will understand the dual nature of mutations and changes in the genome; some changes might leave the organism better adapted to its environment while others may offer a selective disadvantage. Students will explore the known history of how humans evolved, and then will use their knowledge in a culminating project to predict how humans will evolve in future years.Grade Span Expectations and Science Practices
GSEs:- LS3 (9-11) - 8
- LS4 (9-11) - 9
- LS3 (9-11) - 7
Addressed science practices:1. Asking Questions
2. Using Models
3. Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
6. Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
7. Engaging in Argument from Evidence
8. Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Outline, Concept Map, or other Graphical Representation of the Concepts Addressed in the Unit
Lesson Sequence
Assessment Plan
Students will be assessed formatively with science journal entries. During learning activities, the instructor will be asking questions of the students to check for understanding wherever possible. Some class activities will have paper components that will be collected and used as formative assessment as well. Summative assessment will be comprised of a creative project entitled "The X-MEN PROJECT", where students will have to use their knowledge to make a prediction about how humans might evolve and change in the future. There will also be a short unit test used for summative assessment.
Rationale
This topic was made meaningful to students in several ways. It addresses the ways they are thinking about the topic before they are given the actual content, and they are made to recognize their own misconceptions. As the topic is human evolution, it relates directly to how students arrived the way they have in this moment in time. Students will recognize the human body as being a page in the history book that explains primate adaptations. Students will explore the evidence that explains how human evolution is thought by scientists to have occurred in order to draw conclusions about human history. After making conclusions about how we arrived here, students will address the questions concerning where humans are going by looking at issues in the present (malaria and sickle-cell anemia), and predicting what we may look like many years from now. Students will then take a short unit test on human evolution to show mastery of the content.